Process for the preparation of hydrogen by autocombustion.



G. P. JAUBERT.

PROCESS FOR THE PREPARATION OF HYDROGEN BY AUTOCOMBUSTION. APPLICATION FILED MAR.1,1912.

1 ,O99,446, Patented Jime9, 1 914.

M/fl ssc; Joya/7%? Qarqa Flo-wharf UNITED STATES PATENT orrron GEORGE FRANQOIS JAUIBERT, 0F PAR-IS, FRANCE.

PROQESS FOR THE PREPARATION OF HYDROGEN BY AUTOCOMBUSTION.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June9', 1914.

Application filed March 1, 1912. Serial No. 650,917.

(metal, metalloid or alloy) and of a com-- burent or oxidizing agent capable of maintaining the combustion inside the closed vessel, in the presence of steam. Now, by carrying the said process "into practice some bodies such as sodium and lime and the like are employed, the effect of which is to increase the cost of the process. The inventor has found that some metals, metalloids or alloys, particularly iron alloys, when heated at a very high temperature in a current of steam, kindle themselves, that is to say, they burn, and the combustion continues automatically with a strong output of 'hy-' drogen, without necessitating any exterior nor furtherheating, nor any addition of oxidizing a ents, other than steam, this latter being sufh If this re-action is applied to ferro-silicon, containing 75% Si, corresponding about to the formula FeSi the following equation'is which shows clearly the oxidizing action of the steam.

The present invention has for its object a process for the preparation of hydrogen byauto-combustion, in a closed vessel, of a metal, a metalloid'or an alloy which has been previously heated to a very high temperature the combustion being efiected in cient to maintain the combustion.

creased or controlled by adding to the metal or alloy in the powdered state, a suitable quantity of an alkaline base such for example as lime. This addition of a. relatively cheap alkaline base has for its result to give a better slag and also to regulate the combus tion.

The accompanying drawing shows as an example, a sectional elevation of apparatus suitable for carrying the process into practice in a continuous manner.

The apparatus consists of a vat a of refractory material, having at its bottom an aperture 6 serving as an outlet for the slag, and; at the upper part of the vat is a hopperi with cup and cone feeder cd.

f 15 a steam supply pipe or a pipe for the supply of water intended to be converted lute steam, and g are nozzles for injecting the steam into the-vat. The hydrogen exit pipe is shown at h. A suitable quantity of metal, metalloid or alloy is introduced into thefwat and to this metal, metalloid or alloy,

a suitable quantity of the cheap alkaline -b; -.se (such as, lime) may be added or not.

The contents of the vat are then kindled by well known method.

Qwing to the heat of the re-aetion the steam becomes superheated or else, the waterentering at f through the nozzles g in the form of steam becomes volatilized. The steam is decomposed by its contact with the metal at a high temperature, the oxygen of the water being utilized for the combustion of the metal, metalloid or alloy and the hydrogen escaping through ,the pipe it. Then necessary some metal is introduced through the hopper 0 either in the form of powder or in piecesgwith or without the alkaline base referred to. In this manner a continuous process for preparing hydrogen is obtained. The slag may be extracted at 7) during the operation.

What I claim is: "1, The herein described process for the preparation of hydrogen by auto-combustion, which consists in introducing steam into a closed vessel containing previously heated ferro-silicon; substantially as described.

2. The herein described process for the preparation of hydrogen by auto-combustion, which consists in introducing steam into a closed vessel containing lime and previously-heated ferro-silicon; substantially as described.

3. The herein describad pracess for flu: re arahon of h droq'en is mumlemmasi plziced my hand at Paris, this sixteenth (lay tinu, which cansisis ii; in steam i of F 213mm, 1912.

GEQRGE FRANQOIS JAU iERT. [L- 8.1

In file presence of two WitIlCSSESZ LUQIEN MmIMINGER, HENRY b'CHWAB.

into a. closed vessel containing fime and pre- 5 vieusly-heateci pewdered farrwsilicon; substsmfiafiy as (kswikerln y In tesiimany wherecwf I have hermmto 

